


Dwelling on sweeter things

by GlytheSector



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 06:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4554606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlytheSector/pseuds/GlytheSector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of Yavin Nailani tries to reconcile her ideas about certain legends and look forwards to the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dwelling on sweeter things

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for the Sith warrior class story and the Shadow of Revan expansion. Also some Kotor related grumbling.

The datacron was only saved from being chucked out the nearest window by Quinn’s timely intervention. If he’d waited one minute more before quietly coughing for her attention Nailani would have hurled it out into the Dromund Kaas night, reinforced windows be damned. As it was, she placed the wretched thing gently onto her desk and turned to see what he wanted. 

“I hope I’m not interrupting my Lord.”

“You are, but since I was long past the point of productivity and reduced to contemplating wanton destruction, I think I’ll forgive you.” She tried to smile, but her face ended up contorting into a massive yawn. She’d lost track of time hours ago, somewhere between Vette and Jaesa’s voices fading upstairs and another thunderstorm starting. 

“Difficulties with your research?” Quinn asked as he leaned back against the data archive. Proof that he must be as tired as she was, for Quinn was never one for slouching. Though she wasn’t sure what was keeping him from his bed.

Nailani glared at the offending datacron. “The internal correspondence of those involved with the Telos restoration project. Not exactly the most exciting material at the best of times. And it has been a rather trying day.”   
“Or a set of trying months my Lord.” Quinn offered wryly.

“Hmm yes, that’s true. Honestly, you’d expect I’d deal with such things better by now, I’m so used to things going wrong.”

“If I may offer my opinion my Lord, then I would say you are coping rather admirably given the circumstances. Finding out that the architect of the society you have served the entirety of your adult life is planning the imminent death of yourself and said society isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence.”

Nailani had to laugh at that. “That’s putting it rather mildly. And you Quinn, how are you coping with that particular revelation? I’ve been so wrapped up in my research I haven’t really asked.”

Quinn shrugged slightly. “It is a shock, I admit. But given my previous actions and my rationalisations for them? It could be worse I suppose. I know that my loyalty is to the Empire and to you, not the Emperor and I’ve known it for some time now.” They’d come a long way since the days when Quinn flinched every time the events of the Transponder station were referenced. Nailani could only hope that she’d be able to think of Baras and the Emperor’s betrayals so dispassionately one day.

“It must be nice for it to be that simple.” Nailani sighed enviously. “Personally I’ve been having significant difficulty divorcing the Emperor from the Empire in my mind. Thinking of him as both Vitiate and our enemy is tricky.”

“For most of the Empire the Emperor has been a distant, almost mythical figure for many years. It’s only natural that his deception feels more personal to you given your interactions with the man.” Quinn pulled a face. “Although I will say that referring to him as such does feel odd.”

“The consequences of dealing with the reality of a legend I guess.” Nailani waved a hand at the mess of her usually orderly desk. “That struggle is pretty much the motivation behind my current research.”

Quinn raised an eyebrow. “You’re investigating the Emperor? I was under the impression any information about him as an individual was near impossible to get a hold of.”

“No, not the Emperor.” Even to her ears her laugh came out somewhat self-consciously. “It’s Revan I’m looking into. Revan and the Jedi Exile.” She gazed around the room as she tried to work out how to explain her preoccupation. So much of the material which filled the archive stemmed from her old fascination with the two. “I’ve passed on anything I think is relevant to the current crisis to people far more qualified than myself at historical analysis. But no one else really seems to care any more about who these people really were. Even the Republic’s happy to close the file and forget about two of their greatest heroes. As far as they’re concerned the man we encountered on Yavin IV, and the apparition the strike team who freed him dealt with were them.”

“You disagree?”

“There are a great deal of contradictions. Simple things like accounts of Revan’s appearance or gender, to more complicated ones about the Exile’s death. 300 years is a long time and the Republic went through serious chaos multiple times across the course of Revan and the exile’s lifetimes. Not to mention my suspicion that members of the Jedi order tried to cover up certain truths about the Exile and her disciples. But some of it just doesn’t add up.”

“If that is the case…”Quinn frowned. “Then who led the Revanites on Yavin IV?”

Nailani shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know if we’ll ever know the truth of what really happened to Revan and the Exile. But it matters to me that someone looks.” She looked down at her desk. It was a little embarrassing to admit just how much she cared. “I know it seems foolish. Worrying about the legacies of a couple of Jedi when the Empire faces the greatest threat of its existence. I can’t even be certain that I or anyone else will be alive within a year to remember them.”

“I know little of the ways of the Sith and the relationship between them and the Jedi other than what I have seen with my own eyes or heard you speak of with Jaesa. But I wouldn’t dismiss the impact such figures have had on the galaxy and might have in the future due to my own ignorance. If you think there is value in learning from them then who am I to judge?”

“I appreciate the support Quinn, though I do think you place too little importance on your opinion. You should know by now how much I value it.” At least he presumed to offer it though. There’d been a time when she’d had to practically wrangle every judgement or tactical evaluation out of him.

He took a deep breath. “If that’s the case… then permit me to say that I think you underestimate our chances against the Emperor.”

Nailani smiled. “You really have that much faith in me that you believe I’ll succeed against a legend? What happened to that rigid belief in statistics Captain? Surely the odds are against me here?”

“I made the mistake of believing otherwise before. And you do know that as much as I hate to be wrong, I detest repeating my mistakes even more. Besides,” His cheeks reddened slightly. “While I have no doubt that you are capable of facing whatever the Emperor might do alone, I would remind you that doing so isn’t necessary. Whatever aid or support you might need you can have of me. And I’m sure that Jaesa, Vette, Broonmark and even Pierce would say the same.”

“Can I kiss you?” Nailani wasn’t sure where the words came from but her stomach had plummeted out of the building by the time her ears caught up with her mouth.

Quinn looked as surprised to hear the words as she had been to say them. “I uh, my Lord?” The small part of her mind that wasn’t cringing in embarrassment was very amused at Quinn actually saying “uh”.

“That came out… it wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t exactly mean…”Nailani inhaled. “I know we spoke about trying again, but then things have been so busy… And we didn’t actually talk about what starting afresh meant in terms of well things.” Nailani was rather abruptly cut off by Quinn leaning across the desk to kiss her. It was rather easier than she’d have expected to simply close her eyes and go with it. When the moment passed and the kiss ended she reflected that she’d really, really missed that little, sweet, un-guarded smile Quinn always gave her after a kiss. 

“I hope you don’t mind that I took the initiative.” Quinn offered her a hand as she stood up from her desk. He didn’t seem to mind when she held onto it. 

“Given the fact that you spared us both the awkwardness of my continued babbling I think I will definitely forgive you.” Nailani grumbled.

Quinn laughed softly as he raised his free hand to her cheek. “Perhaps I should have waited a while longer then.”

“Hmph. You just love the turnabout of me being the tongue-tied one for a change.” 

“I would prefer to say that your sincerity is rather endearing my Lord.” Quinn teased. 

Nailani sniffed. “Oh no, if you’re going to go around kissing me then you might have to actually try and use my name on occasion again.”

“I suppose I could give it a try, if you do the same.” He chuckled again as she turned her head to avoid yawning in his face. “But maybe we should leave the matter till morning.”

“That sounds like a plan Malavai.” As they headed upstairs Nailani was surprised at how easy it was to stop dwelling on the impending threat of the Emperor and everything. At least for a short while.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this fic. Comments and criticism welcome.


End file.
